ER $80
SECRET
DESKBY FCO 096908Z
FM PEKING 088634Z MAR 31
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 141 OF 8/3
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
SECRET
MY IPT. PAPERS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
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AKK OHol\
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51
10 MAR 1981
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FOLLOWING ARE MORE DETAILED COMMENTS:
PARAGRAPH 5
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Action Taken
IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THIS PARAGRAPH, IN ANY FUTURE VERNOR AN
OF THE PAPER, WAS REORDERED AND EXPANDED TO SELL OU
(A) WHY HONG KONG IS SUCH A DELICATE ISSUE FOR THE CHINESE (THE TAIWAN ANALOGY, COLONIAL STATUS AND QUESTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL FACE)
(B) WHAT WE THINK TO BE THE CURRENT ATTITUDES OF THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP AND WHAT WE KNOW OF DIVERGENT OPINIONS.
(C) PRESENT CHINESE TACTICS (GENERALISED ASSURANCES AND A CLOSE WATCH ON STABILITY). IT MIGHT BE EMPHASISED THAT THE CHINESE LEADERSHIP, FACED WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS NEARER HOME, SHOW NO REAL DISPOSTION TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE HONG KONG
ISSUE.
PARAGRAPHS 6-7
I PREFER THE GOVERNOR'S REDRAFT, BUT DOUBT WHETHER THE CHINESE WILL EVER COME TO ACCEPT OUR 1979 PROPOSAL (LAST SENTENCE OF PARA 7(B) OF REDRAFT)
PARAGRAPH 8
IT IS SURELY A VIRTUAL CERTAINTY RATHER THAN ONE POSSIBILITY'' THAT THE CHINESE WILL SEEK CONCESSIONS IN RETURN FOR ACCOMMODATION OVER LAND LEASES.
PARAGRAPH 11
THERE WOULD CERTAINLY BE A STRONG, ADVERSE CHINESE REACTION
TO ANY UNILATERAL ACTION ON OUR PART.
PARAGRAPH 12
いて
(12).
THE ENVISAGED EXCHANGE OF STATEMENTS CERTAINLY SEEMS THE MOST
PROMISING AVENUE TO EXPLORE,
ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNOR'S
LEGAL POINT IS A COMPLICATION.
TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE THE
STATEMENTS, TAKEN IN CONJUNCTION, WOULD NEED TO SIGNAL
UNAMBIGUOUSLY THAT THE DATE OF 1997 NO LONGER HAD ANY PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE. THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE SEEN AS A FOUNDATION FOR AN OPEN-ENDED PERIOD OF STABILITY RATHER THAN THE
BEGINNING OF A STAGE OF TRANSITIONAL FLUX.
SECRET
Guangday.
NOTED
BU 20,4.
/ PARAGRAPH IS
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